Governor Bullock must protect waterways, deny Keystone pipeline permit

Op-ed by Director Winona Bateman posted in the Missoulian Dec. 31, 2020

In his final days in office, Governor Bullock holds immense power over the future of Montana and our children. His administration could deny the 401 water crossing permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

I offer these comments on behalf of nearly 400 families connected with our organization, and the 550 Montanans who signed our petition opposing the Keystone XL pipeline last spring. Our efforts to collect signatures and deliver them earlier were derailed by COVID, but Governor Bullock received them shortly after the Department of Environmental Quality public comment hearing on Keystone in November (as did the DEQ).

That hearing was notable: all of the speakers, except one, spoke out in opposition to the permit. Families for a Livable Climate stands with them, and the many Montana organizations, communities and water protectors opposing this permit.

Will Governor Bullock approve a poorly conceived project that will hasten the climate crisis — adding at least 181 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each year, comparable to emissions from 51 coal-fired power plants — endangering our water and land, and contributing to an unlivable future? Or, will he support the denial of this permit, protecting Montana’s land and water, and helping to ensure a livable future for all families?

Montana has already warmed 2-3 degrees Fahrenheit — twice as fast as the global average. If we continue with business as usual, in 20 years we will see temperatures that are an average of 4.5 - 6 degrees warmer, and nearly 10 degrees warmer by the end of this century.

What will these extreme temperature increases mean for our agricultural producers? Winter recreation? Our tourism industry? Fishing and hunting opportunities? Our wildfire season? Our health? Our children? We know the math for our shared climate if we add 51 coal-fired power plants into the mix at this point in history.

Will Governor Bullock choose to approve an unneeded and unpopular project that one day — experience shows — will leak dirty and impossible-to-clean-up tar sands oil into our precious waterways, or onto our land? Has he asked: What will it contaminate first? The Missouri River, upstream from the water intake for the Fort Peck reservation, destroying their source for drinking water, and desecrating our beautiful Missouri forever? What about the second or third time? What part of Montana is he willing to sacrifice? Which communities? Which people?

The Keystone XL pipeline threatens waterways at more than 770 water crossings along the proposed route through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska — with over 200 water crossings in Montana alone.

Governor Bullock has a choice to make. I urge him to please choose well for all Montana families. Please choose to protect our waterways, our communities, our health and our chance for a livable future. I hope he stands up and makes his administration's final act in office the denial of this permit.